BABA AND HUMOUR (1)

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BABA AND HUMOUR (1)

 

Humour is a distinct human quality. And of all Baba's human

qualities, his sense of humour was the most outstanding. Baba's sense

of humour was of a very peculiar kind being at first hardly

intelligible to people around him. The humour consisted in there

being two applications for the words he uttered, one being patent and

other often being discovered after some time and enquiry. We shall

give some examples.

 

In the case of one G. D. Pelaspi who approached Baba, the latter

according to his custom of revealing his antarjnana about the visitor

so as to infuse faith in him, mentioned the fact that the trouble of

Pelaspi was that a debtor of his, named Bapu Saheb was delaying and

evading payment of Rs. 4,000 due to Pelaspi. So, Baba said when

Pelaspi came, `What is Bapu Saheb doing:" Thinking that Baba referred

to Bapu Saheb Jog, someone present said, `He is sleeping'. Baba said,

`When he come here, beat him. He owes me Rs. 4,000 and is delaying

payment'. People fancied that Baba was angry with Bapu Saheb Jog for

the alleged non-payment of debt to him. But Baba was referring only

to the pandit of Pelaspi. Pelaspi understood Baba's words and took

Baba's words as good augury that pressure would be brought upon his

debtor to make the payment quickly. But the others who misunderstood

Baba thought that he referred to his poojari namely, Bapu Saheb Jog.

They informed him of Baba's words and he was very upset by Baba's

statement, for he did not owe Rs. 4,000 to Baba and he said, `The

claim is unjust'. But Baba was enjoying the fun. Similarly Baba used

the words, Tatya, Bapu, Vani, referring to particular persons or

particular sort of persons. People who heard him could not make out

the real reference. Baba enjoyed the fun.

 

(Courtesy: HH Pujyasri B. V. Narasimha Swamiji)